Judged Fairly....
(Noteworthy e-mail received from Blake)
The Shoe Bomber

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe
and tried to light it? His trial is over.

How much of this Judge's comments did you hear on TV?
Everyone should hear what the judge had to say.

Ruling by Judge William Young

U.S. District Court Judge William Young made the following statement in sentencing "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to prison. It is noteworthy, and deserves to be remembered far longer than he predicts. I commend it to you and to anyone you might wish to forward it to.

January 30, 2003 United States vs. Reid. Judge Young: Mr. Richard C.
Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.

On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the
custody of the United States Attorney General.

On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison
on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive with the
other. That's 80 years.

On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years
consecutive to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you
each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of
$2 million.

The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to
restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre
Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.

The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.

The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.

This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair
and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Let me explain this to
you.

We are not afraid of any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid.
We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is all
too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost
respect.

Here in this court , where we deal with individuals as individuals, and
care for individuals as individuals, as human beings we reach out for
justice, you are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are
not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that
reference, to call you a soldier gives you far too much stature.
Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who
does it, or that happens to be your view, you are a terrorist.

And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not treat with
terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.

So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But
you are not that big. You're no warrior. I know warriors. You are a
terrorist. A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders.

In a very real sense Trooper Santigo had it right when you first were
taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press
and where the TV crews were and he said you're no big deal. You're no
big deal.

What your counsel, what your able counsel and what the equally able
United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly
as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so
horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have
listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search
your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to
do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing. And I have an
answer for you. It may not satisfy you. But as I search this entire
record it comes as close to understanding as I know.

It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most precious. You hate
our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as
we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we
individually choose.

Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it
everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual
freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that
everyone can see, truly see that justice is administered fairly,
individually, and discretely.

It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously
on your behalf and have filed appeals, will go on in their, their
representation of you before other judges. We are about it. Because we
all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own
liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any
burden, pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.

Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to
long remember what you or I say here. Day after tomorrow it will be
forgotten. But this, however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom
and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.

The very President of the United States through his officers will have
to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters
can be judged, and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that
evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of
justice.

See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of
America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten.
That flag stands for freedom. You know it always will.

Custody Mr. Officer. Stand him down.

How much of this Judge's comments did you hear on our TV sets?

Please pass this around. Everyone needs to hear what the judge had to
say.

Automatic Update

Just opening up my computer this morning and having this pop-up window which says “automatic update”....install now? reminds me that I must do this also in my personal life....
Wish I would wake up every morning....and this would happen.....automatically.....in my thinking!
Yesterday I was made dramatically aware of this process after speaking....for the first time in five years....to my friend, Frances, in South Carolina.
Out of the blue this phone call took place.....and as the conversation flowed the years dropped away but many of our experiences during those five years had to be minimized to a brief sentence.
Life does need....automatic updates....at times my ’mentality’ is....15 years ago!!!...Does this mean I have not benefited from 15 years of experiences that should have taught me many new things?
Sadly, sometimes this is the case!
Then there are times like 9/11 when it is very necessary to survival that I have what my computer refers to as.....Critical Updates....
Society changes.....automatic updates are a must....
In America, security has been threatened in many areas of our everyday life and we have been forced to adapt to changes, which are inconvenient and uncomfortable. Yet it is necessary.....
So I will continue to look for the signs of...automatic updating in my thinking and my life.....
But one thing remains steadfast and totally unchangeable.....
Proverbs 4:11.....says, “I would have you learn this great fact: that a life of doing right is the wisest life there is. If you live that kind of life, you’ll not limp or stumble as you run.”
Simply summarized....”Doing Right” to others....makes It A....continuous... Good Life....

Euphoria

Euphoria........A feeling of great happiness or well-being...

It sure feels good.....to feel good, doesn’t it?

I received an e-mail entitled...“It Finally Happened!“...from a friend, Kathleen, who has been out of the military for six years. She is busy with her two young children and husband but has been in search of a job continuously for the past two years. A bank she worked with in Texas and the ’bank merger’ which forced old employees out and new ones in placed her as one of the many....’over-qualified unemployed‘. She had sent out hundreds of resume’s and to no avail......
Today’s e-mail was.....euphoric!
As she said....the job found her.....
City government in Little Elm, Texas will have an excellent employee in Kathleen ‘Perry’ Dugger.
Knowing Kathleen and her precision military computer background...plus her God-given creative talents.....she would be an asset to any business.
Kathleen ended her e-mail with this ‘grateful heart’ bit of wisdom....
.....“have to thank a lot of you for your prayers and thoughts while I have been searching for a job. Some of you were right, the job that is right for me would find me....and it did!!! “
Euphoria of the best kind.....always produces....
......a Grateful Heart!
Congratulations, Kat! God Bless You!

Celebrations

Too many parties.....my sister, Shyrl’s Birthday on Thursday was quite an adventure.
Lynn and I drove from Clearwater to St. Cloud with a car full of balloons, banners and gifts. Shyrl is recuperating from a fall and other medical problems in Plantation Bay Rehab Center and we were able to take her out to lunch. Her daughter, Susie and also, Jessica, met us for lunch as well...
We laughed and talked and had fun. Then we went back to the Center and visited with Mrs. Veal , a long time family friend....and her son Barney. We certainly did celebrate.

Next, on Saturday, all the family met at Chuck E Cheese for 2 year old Joshua’s celebration.....Noisy....noisy, noisy,,, even Joshua kept saying...”Bear ‘shutup’”....”Bear ‘shutup’...”
Too much too fast.....but the important things is that.....
.....a good time was had by ....ALL.
See pictures......Link #1...Shyrl & Joshua’s Birthday

Truth or Consequences

Once upon a time many moon ago.....there was a television show called...truth or consequences....
The appearing guest asserted their credentials as to who they were....teacher, janitor, airline pilot, author etc.....and a panel asked questions in order to find out the truth...which produced certain rewards.....A lie....brought certain consequences...when the truth became known....

In 2003, I still find that a lie has its own built in consequences.
Self-deception is the most destructive kind of lie.....
Many lives go awry by believing they have no value, or are not as ’good’ as someone else, what they think or feel does not matter, etc.
Believing that about oneself - is a killer....the consequences of this lie
................... devaluates and sets a path of self-destruction.
For you see, it is a.......LIE! Life built on a lie will eventually collapse at some point in time....
The TRUTH IS......We.....are.....ALL......created.....E...Q...U...A...L!
I have found, by experience, that each person has some very unique and ‘invaluable worth’....Often times it takes others believing in them and reiterating their true value, again and again, before they can replace a lie with the truth of their true and real contribution to life and their world .
Simply put.....someone must have ‘faith’ in them....before they can begin to trust and have faith in themselves.....
This process is meant to be.....learned in the home at an early age among loving and trusting family members.
Yet today, I know many, many.....Grandparents who are ‘raising’ their grandchildren in order to get the real ‘truth’ into them....that their life does matter, that they are loved and valued exactly like they are ...also, that they are worth the investment of other family members who cares for them sacrificially.
Yes.....Truth or consequences...is still played in the Game ..
.........The Game.....Called Real Life.....!

It Could Happen In A Moment

A split second in time....can be life changing!
Both in a negative or positive way....
Think about it!
Doesn’t this tell us that we should really value.......every moment in life?
Time with loved ones is priceless!
Grasping the moment.....spontaneity....flexibility....is a must!
Often time I have found that I must throw ‘caution to the wind’ in order to get out of my ‘rut mentality’.....especially for a fun adventure being offered...ie: skydiving when my son, Chad, offered the opportunity.
Those moments created more.....Chuck doing the same thing with Chuckie when he turned 18.....
Again, Carla, is waiting to be 18 in September so that she and I and Brittney....maybe Ashley and Melissa Jo also....will take the plunge.....
Saying a spontaneous “Yes“.....happened in a moment.
It could have been a ‘no’ just as easy....
But I threw caution to the wind and said...”Why Not?”
I have never regretted it.....
Skydiving....in tandem....is a constant thrill as I relive the experience in my memories....
........I dare YOU.....to be challenged.....at some moment in time....to participate in....the unexpected!
Perhaps it could.....change your life!
After all.....it IS A Good Life....and More To Come!

A Good Time Was Had By All

Celebrating my birthday with family and friends.....as well as celebrating America’s birthday on July 4th at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida....was another FUN event.....
All our family members showed up at one time or another....along with Nautical friends, Sam & Sally, Kurt, Melissa and Pammy. Phone calls galore, party games, Regency Club goodies, traditional last meal pizza feast, water gun fights ( Yo, Chad) and moments of heart to heart talks was certainly a package deal of the Celebration of....The Good Life!
......I was overwhelmed with gifts from my loved ones....tried to wear all the clothes and jewelry that I received plus used my new 256 MB memory card for my digital camera...after having used to full my old 128 card.
It was picture heaven...
Unfortunately we did not take the time to use the video.....no one wanted to stop having fun long enough to record.
One of the best shots was the last morning when Mr. Whiz Kid,
Chad, thought he was going to throw his ole Mom in the pool with her new clothes on... I clung to him like a leech....then he decided he did not want to go in after all....so I escaped after my body guard, Matt, came to my rescue.... Good.... clean....FUN was had by all....
See pictures...Link #1....4th of July Grand Cypress.
Yes, we did pray that.....God would continue to....Bless America!!!

What the Fourth is Really About

Celebrating the 4th is a great tradition in our family.
We have a favorite hotel that we have been going to for about 15 years.
The Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando is like “island living’....On the 4th of July the fireworks at Epcot and Disney can be seen majestically from our hotel.
It is....awesome!
The 4th of July is also.....my birthday!
I get to really celebrate....because everyone is in a celebrating mood all over America.
This is really a fun holiday....
This year, I am re-reminded of what this holiday is all about.
As the battle in Iraq continues and reports of causalities still rise...I realize that this is no normal Fourth of July.
It is about the cost being paid today in 2003 when people are wounded and die for...”freedom”. We have men and women still ‘fighting’ on foreign land. Our flag is being ripped to shreds by people who think we should not be on their soil. Many Americans are in another country serving our country and their family members are anxious every day as to whether they are dead or alive.
I am grateful for the freedom I have and for the ways I am allowed to express that freedom. I will never forget that this day is about my being able to keep living comfortable.....
It is okay for me to celebrate, but I hope I will never take the Fourth of July so lightly again.
This year I wish there would be a moment of silence at all fireworks to honor and remember those fighting on foreign soil....
We need to be giving a standing ovation to our military troops who deserve our praise and gratitude for preserving our way of life, liberty and freedom....right here in America....
When you see a veteran or someone in uniform, I hope you will have the courtesy to stop and acknowledge them for the way they make our life possible in America...
Thank them for their personal contribution....
Feel free to Celebrate.....the 4th of July......in ....The Land of Plenty...
We are blessed.....May God...continue to.....Bless America....and her....brave!

Create your own.....H A P P I N E S S.....

Saw an article that caught my eye.... reminiscent of Dale Carnegie or Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.....
In any event, based on my personal experiences, there are a few pointers worth enumerating....
First of all, no one can expect to be happy ALL THE TIME.
Yes, there are some people who seem to radiate happiness MORE THAN OTHERS....
But you see....it is not that happy people are completely unaware of life’s down....it is just that they have learned how to balance the bad with the good....They seem to be able to cope better with anxiety and distress.
Unhappy people seem to approach life with a different mind set.
They often place the blame for their unhappiness on something or someone other than themselves.
They have a tendency to become cynical and seem to have problems...trusting others.
Real happiness has nothing to do with money or material things, but has more to do with how a person.... nurtures the mind.
Bringing happiness into your life starts by investigating some of the negative habits you have been harboring.
Once we create the habits.....the habits then....create us!
Some practical strategies are:
1...Take charge of your feelings. Assume responsibility for your actions and feelings. Do not waste time feeling like you are a victim; use that energy to take charge and focus on ways to solve your problems. There are options of life that you may not have considered...with a victim mindset.
2...Learn to deal with negative emotions...Anger and anxiety is the No.1 enemies of happiness. When they occur....and they will, do not deny the feelings.... acknowledge them....then step back and give yourself time-out to analyze, forgive, or dispose of the unnecessary elements involved. This will help you regain control of most situations; Patience and tolerance are options to negative mind sets...
3...Energize your life.....Research shows that when people lack energy, they worry excessively making minor problems seem....insurmountable...In Southern lingo....they make mountains out of mole hills:)
In contrast, high energy creates upbeat, positive moods...
Exercise is a way to make you feel better because it reduces tension and increases your energy level....If you put a little energy into motion; you will receive double energy in return.
4...Give out a little sunshine....Acts of personal kindness....paying a compliment....sharing a conversation....or just taking time to listen might make someone’s day a little brighter.
5...Put on a friendly face:)......Smiling, even when you don’t feel like it, WILL make you feel better.....Positive actions produce positive emotions.
6...Think gratitude...Count your blessings. Make a list of all the things you have to be thankful for: family, friends, home, faith, etc. Then write a gratitude list, which includes everything that happened that day....for which you can be grateful!
7...CHOOSE to be an optimist...Attitude is everything.
How you react to situations is your choice.
Optimists have a sense of control.
They believe that good things will last ....a long time.....and they label bad things as.....temporary events!
Psychologist says that pessimist suffer from what is called....
....”learned helplessness”....always expecting the worse.
Stop and confront habits that criticize, complain or find fault.....everywhere!
8...Find a creative outlet....some call it ’hobby’....something that you totally enjoy doing and allows you to be......YOU! This will give a reprieve from the daily responsibilities of life.....it helps to relive the stresses of daily living.
9....Be very....realistic....in your expectations....
Many people truly believe they can alter their unhappy feelings through the love of another person. It is totally unrealistic to EXPECT others to be RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR HAPPINESS....
Yes, you can receive support and encouragement from loved ones, but....
YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON ACCOUNTABLE......FOR CREATING....YOUR OWN HAPPINESS!!!
10.....Take time to develop personal faith.....this is the solid rock upon which all....physical, mental, emotional and spiritual......is founded.
It is in this that a person becomes Whole and Complete.....and....Healthy, Wealthy and Wise....
11......Happiness happens as a result of being happy....to be YOU!
12.......Happiness is a magnet.....surround yourself with ...happy, care free, healthy minded....faith filled.....good-clean-fun....people.
12.......What or who you emulate.....you become.....Show me your friends and I will tell you who YOU ARE!
.......Bottom line....Don’t Worry+Be Happy! It is a.....Choice!

P.S. Nancy....keep it up....writing and.....Being Happy:)

Tomorrow

Yesterday a member of our family, our son-in-law Tony, had a car accident.
Lynn, his wife....our daughter, just happened to drive upon it as she was leaving her condo complex. Tony had been taken away by ambulance but the Highway Patrol was there as well as Florida Power Electric since he hit a concrete light pole and broke it off to the ground. The Miracle is that the concrete pole did not fall toward his vehicle but in the opposite direction....This is the scene that Lynn drove upon....
She was very distraught to say the least as she called us and headed to Bayfront Hospital. Other family members were alerted along with prayer partner, Nancy. All of us arrived in the emergency room in a state of anxious concern.
The Florida Highway Patrol came in with some of Tony’s personal effects to give to his wife. What a wonderful, professional man he was along with being a very caring human being.
His name......Jesus’ Lopez.
Since both air bags ejected.....Tony was protected somewhat from the impact but had numerous abrasions from the airbags themselves.
After tests and x-rays it was determined that.....everything was normal, thank God, except for all the shocks of the impact that produced cuts and bruises, which would heal with time....
The family breathed a sigh of relief and thanked God for the Miracle of Tony’s life being spared from .....what could have been a real tragedy!
......Today in my morning devotion these words leap from the page.......
Prov.27:1.....Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.......
This truth became real yesterday.....
Our knowledge as a human race seems impressive - awesome.
We can split atoms, we can build skyscrapers, transplant kidneys, program computers, explore and explain outer space.....
But when it comes to ......tomorrow.... our knowledge drops to zero.
Tomorrow remains a factor X.....a mystery.
Tomorrow.
It may bring sickness, sorrow, or tragedy.
It may bring an answer to your hearts desire....a dream come true!
It may bring you to prosperity, the beginning of a friendship....
....or just another twenty-four hours of ......
It may not even come!
This kind of thinking leads to the ......inevitable question:
Are you/we ready?
“Ready for what?” you may ask...
“Ready for anything?”....I say!
.....Is your trust, your faith, your attitude of dependence on God....stable to sustain you/us.....regardless?
......I say after yesterdays encounter......Thank the Lord, it is His LOVE....that arranges our tomorrows.....and we can be certain that whatever it brings, HIS LOVE is sent our way....
That is why I smile every time I read Romans 11:33....
...”Oh, what a wonderful God we have!
How great are His wisdom and knowledge and riches!
How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods!”
....It is this that brings a smile into our tomorrows ....
Yes, Tony is going to be all-right......for God is IN CHARGE of his tomorrows......and he will.....continue to enjoy.....The Good Life....by the grace of God!!!
Hallelujah!

Dear Readers......

Taking a few days off from daily writing makes it a little harder to get back to the habit. Being busy is no excuse for me.....I chose busy so how can I complain? We all have the same 24 hours in each day....
I do thank many of you who responded to my survey of comments about this page....taking the time to let me hear from you was a blessing.
The majority of comments were.....write once or twice a week as a catch up but continue on a regular basis....
I have several blogs that I follow and I am disappointed when I go to their pages and they haven’t posted for a ....long....long....time....
Nancy do you hear me???
Therefore I will continue....periodically.

Vacationing in Florida

Yo! Have been on vacation for a few days....in my own home!
Our family had other family members visiting us from Puerto Rico this week and we did a mini-vacation with them.
Carlos, an accountant...and Alida, a teacher along with 6 yr. old Paula visited us for a few days. Rain did not stop their vacation.
Busch Gardens became a ‘water park’ adventure for them yet they had a ball. No lines and no heat they said....just water!
Having a “Happy Birthday Chad” party gave them a visit to the family Zoo.
Good food and fun was on the menu...a bit of violence escaped....blue cake frosting found its way into birthday boy’s new ‘hairdo’....and clothes.
Even though a price was paid....I, too, became a bit blue....but Matthew came to my defense after first stripping off his white gator shirt...
See pictures....Link #1
Two year old Joshua and six year old, Paula, looked on with amazement!
Adults being children and doing things that they would have been punished for.... was quite a shock!
Hope all they learned was......Fun is....ageless!

Dear Readers;
I received the e-mail below from a beautiful young lady, Melissa Jo.
Thought you might get a laugh also...
Have a good day!

RELIGION: Through A Child’s Eyes



*3-year-old, Reese: "Our Father, Who does art in

heaven, Harold is His name. Amen."

*A little boy was overheard praying:

"Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it.

I'm having a real good time like I am."

*A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments. They were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone could tell her what it was. Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall not take the covers off the neighbor's wife."

*After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."

* I had been teaching my three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word right up to the end of the prayer:

"Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some E-mail. Amen."

* One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

*A Sunday school teacher asked her children, as they were on the way to church service, "Why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."

*Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother, Joel, were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out loud in church." "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.

*Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door? They're hushers."

* A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5, Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.”

Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

* A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied.

The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"

*A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied.

"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.

The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

Shocking

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer, given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people.

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father,
we come before you today to ask your forgiveness,
and to seek your direction and guidance.

"We know Your Word says,
"Woe to those who call evil good,"
but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium
and reversed our values.

"We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word
and called it Pluralism.
We have exploited the poor
and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness
and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn
and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists
and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children
and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power
and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions
and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography
and called it freedom of statement.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers
and called it enlightenment.

"Search us, O God, and know our hearts today;
cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women
who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will
and to openly ask these things
in the name of Your Son,
the living Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen."

The response was immediate.

A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.

In six short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls, with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa, and Korea.

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire, so that we again can be called "one nation under God."

Wayne
In The Garden Ministries
(Shared by Fred Holt)

Celebrate...Dad

As we approach “Father’s Day” on Sunday I am very much aware of the blessing of life of the wonderful Father’s in our Family.
My husband, Charlie, loves his children.
Our children, Chuck Jr., Lynn and Chad.....love their Dad....
This is a ‘known given’....
Chuck Jr. has Chuck III..a Dad...clone.
Also, he has Carla and Vinnie boy...
Chuck Jr.....is a wonderful, awe-inspiring DAD!!!
Anyone who knows him.....respects and admires his role as Dad.
Some Dad’s take their role seriously.....others don’t.
I would like to pay special tribute to...
.....Charlie, Chuck, Rich, Blake and Uncle Frank!
May God bless their example of fatherly love and guidance.....even after they are long gone....as in the case of Uncle Frank.
Issues of the heart are eternal.....Fatherhood is sacred.
Some men know that instinctively.
So let’s celebrate the Dad’s in our family....
Of course, none of them are perfect...they are just simple human beings doing their best in the good, bad and ugly of daily life.
Real Love perfects....imperfections!
Dads we love you! Happy, Happy, Happy Father’s Day!

Freedom Concert
A Salute to the U.S. Military & Their Families

Last night Charlie and I attended Operation Tribute to Freedom at the Tampa St. Pete Times Forum. (Go figure name...)
It was totally awesome....
Governor Jeb Bush was there... Mayor Pam Iorio and even a couple of Tampa Bay Bucs...
The concert was free and exclusively for active and former U.S. servicemen and women and their guests. American patriotism and praise and thanks to those that served and are now serving was the purpose and focus.....A quiet, reverent tribute to the 246 soldiers, by name, who died in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, was presented on a giant screen. Some families of the deceased sat around Gen. Tommy Franks and wife Cathy and other military leaders.
Approximately 10,500 attended this country artists’ tribute to our military ....It was dedicated to ...The Great Defenders...in special appreciation to...People Who Do Their Jobs.
.....An unexpected appearance by Lee Greenwood and his trademark song..
If Tomorrow...started the momentum immediately.
Along came of all things...12 year old Ashley Gearing a first-class novice...pro.
Chris Cagle promised Gen. Franks that he would perform free, anywhere in the world especially for as he said....”A Street Dance in Baghdad” for the American and Coalition heroes still there....
Rebecca Lynn Howard sang her top 10 hit....Forgive.....
Charlie Daniels performed his...‘signature song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ with the apt remark, “A few weeks ago I bet Saddam thought the devil came down to Iraq!“ Then he transferred the mood rightly by singing one of the most beautiful renditions of “How Great Thou Art” that I have ever ever heard.
Next appearing was Darryl Worley, one of the first stars to take a stand for the U.S. and our President...Darryl played with great power and heart....”Have You Forgotten?” in reference to 9/11.
When Jo Dee Messina came on stage, this audience was in perfect agreement with the truth that....Freedom is NOT Free...
Each star, upon appearing on stage, bowed to the section containing lost family heroes and paid sacred tribute to the families for their sacrificial contribution for all of us.....
As Jo Dee Messina sang...Heaven Was Needing A Hero .....tears flowed freely from men and women alike.... Armed Forces network was carrying the concert, live to all parts of the globe....so you can imagine the impact on military listeners abroad.
The showstopper was.... Gen. Tommy Franks himself.....not only in his professional capacity but also as a wonderful, loveable, humble....delightful man who is a success...first....as a human being. When he asked....”How ‘bout them Bucks?” in his Texas twang, the audience cheered. When he said, “How ‘bout that Tampa Storm?”(Arena Football)...the crowd shouted their approval.....then “How ‘bout that military that never quits?’...then saying in salute and tribute...”That’s YOU.”...
The crowd went wild....
But when Jo Dee prodded Gen. Franks into singing, impromptu....a few country/Texas sounding lyrics, he delighted the crowd ecstatically.
Bucs player Joe Jurevicious said it for all of us when he took the stage and mentioned his boss. “John Gruden’s got a great game plan,” Jurevicius said. “But none of them compare to this man’s,” he said to Gen. Tommy Franks....
All present.....were in “One Accord”...
The one theme for all of this....in a personal sense for me.....
.......................R E S P E C T................
Plain and simple from the heart and lives of at least 10,500 other fellow red, white and blue...loving Americans.....
Ending in unison while singing ‘America” .....made the fact that It Is A Good Life....become a reality...again!

Link #1...two (bad) pictures...long distance seat...
....short zoom lens..dark stadium etc.

Spellbound

Yesterday I received a wonderful phone call from my dear “Joy Child”, Brittney. Britt had just gotten X-ray results on ‘nearly’ 2 yr. old Joshua.
Joshua has had a congested cold, off and on, for over a month. Resorting to dramatics....the Doctor suggested that he could be ‘asthmatic’ or be allergic to everything under the sun.
Finally Brittney got aggravated with...could be, maybe, or possibly and being ‘bright’ herself.....started demanding the medical profession listen to her.
But I am getting ahead of myself.....

Yesterday’s conversation on the phone with Britt left me.....Spellbound!

Britt said the night before that she had a dream of taking Joshua to the emergency room hospital and demanding that x-rays and some other tests, which she had not heard of until her dream....be taken.....
The next day....coming home from work, Lynn tells her that Joshua really needs to see the Doctor....
Interestingly enough, Brittney knew exactly what to do. There was even one part of the costs of X-rays covered by a special grant the hospital issued to her when her ’single mom’ coverage was inadequate.
.............The dream became an actual reality!
Brittney was in heaven with the results.....EVERYTHING NORMAL!
Nothing that plain and simple Miracle working prayer.....and $80.00 in respiratory medication could not heal!!!
Needless to say, Britt knew who to thank for her “Miracle Dream” and the results thereof!
The “Great” Physician, of course....Dr. Jesus!

That was....Then

Having dinner with Matthew and Chad last night...La Teresita no less....I was exposed, again, to some very different lingo.
The two of them are involved in a very creative marketing project for Matt’s benefit since his major is marketing.
Chad is several years down the road in successful experience in this field so he has cooked up a project in order for
Matthew to implement some of his ......NOW ‘book learning’.
I had to laugh at their humorous antics with each other and I was taken aback at some of their marketing words.
...........no yuppies today.....dinks....dual in-come, no kids.

Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a
list to try to give the faculty a sense of the mindset of this year's
incoming freshmen. Here's this year's list:

The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1983.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.
The CD was introduced the year they were born.
They have always had an answering machine.
They have always had cable.
They cannot fathom not having a remote control.
Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.
They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.
They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
They never heard: "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel", or "de plane Boss, de plane".
They do not care who shot J. R. and have no idea who J. R. even is.
McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Time warp is around every corner....
That was then....this is NOW!
Let’s continue to make It a Good Life...NOW!!!

Who Would Believe It???


Yesterday at our Church, The River of Tampa Bay, we had an unexpected treat in the form of a Rock Christian Band from Minsk, Russia.
I was astonished when I reflected back to my blog writing on March 14, 2003...Craziest Instructions God Ever Gave Me... (see Archive to go there) In this blog I referred to my trip to then...Communist Russia.
Yesterdays happening was a ‘back to the future’ encounter for me....In 1983 when I received “God’s craziest instructions’ to go to Red Square in order to pray the prayer of Good over Evil....all I thought I was learning was....obedience.
I had not the foggiest notion that in 20 years l would experience the results of that....answered prayer....brought to the very doorsteps of where I live in the good ole USA! You can imagine the gratitude in my heart to God for His allowing me to be a small part in His great plan for Communist Russia.
Yesterday just ‘blew me out of the water’....so to speak!
The music was awesome.....6 or 7 young men with spiked bleached hair, ponytails etc. led a praise and worship time to God.... Language was no barrier in the music of “How Great Thou Art“....our hearts leaped for joy in praise to the One True God....The God of the Whole Universe....The God over Heaven and Earth....The God of Russia and America.....
The God of ALL!
Yep, that’s ....My God!!!
My God of.....The Good Life...now and forever and ever more....Amen

~Guilty~

Being an avid reader, I go through a lot of books.
Some good, bad and .....ugly!
Yesterday I finished a historical based love novel of early America life and happenings.....The book was full of words which were foreign to meaning or usage for me or my ‘Southern family and friends“.
Words like...vitriolic, cogitate, prurient, hubris, pulchritude, temerity etc. I had to refer to my dictionary. repeatedly, while reading the entire novel.
Seems to me the English Language......now Americanized....in America and ’my South’ is being spoken and written as popular and acceptable...kitsch.
My America Heritage Dictionary defines kitsch as...gaudy trash....art, writing, etc of a pretentious, but shallow kind, calculated to have popular appeal...pretentious bad taste....
Guilty, guilty, guilty.....
Movies, art, books, politicians, news journalist and reporters....use...kitsch.
Listen closely in the next few days.....you may need an interpreter in order to comprehend the language in reference to...computers, cell phones, politics which is ’politically correct’ with no ’spin zone’, religious phrases, teen lingo, nautical terms, golf talk and many other ’quacky words’ whose meaning is known only to a ‘chosen few’....
Then again....you may clearly understand this.....kitsch!
Forgive me, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and many others. of being guilty of desecrating the English Language...knowingly and unknowingly....
Guilty, guilty, guilty...as charged!

Today's thoughts are from an e-mail from my friend Bonnie....Thanks, Bonnie...

Happy "Special" Birthday to my friend....Sally Butler....Ding-A-Ling says, "Happy Day" also.....
Enjoy The Good Life, Honey!!!

Y E S!!~

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of
weeds that are going to take over my yard.
My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff
you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a
smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away...
My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune
and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.
Kids feel the beat and move to it... They sing out the words...
If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it.
I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.
My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it,
until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.
My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends.
Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go
to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy
shoes and dirty carpets.
My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross,
and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from?
No wonder God loves the little children!
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may
look back and realize they were the big things.

I wish you Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow
Dandelions!!!

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take
but by the moments that take our breath away."

Remember....we can NEVER come back to THIS moment...+++

Come On Now!!!

Don’t know about many of you...but having a wide variety of ‘nautical family and friends’....I am surrounded by people who can really tell some....Tall Tales!
Being dubious toward these tales has prevented me from becoming the ‘butt’ of their ‘foolheartedness’ at times.
Then at other times......they really were speaking the God’s truth!

Take the time Ray and Dockie come in talking about their one and only fish they caught after 2 to 3 hours on the water with ‘nothing‘ to show for it..... They swore they had placed the nice size bass on the dock outside of their boat as they became busy docking. Then they accused us of hiding it to make them look like ‘fish liars’ of all things! Of course the fish got larger and larger as we questioned them. Occasionally I would see Ray shaking his head while saying, “Wonder what happened to our bass?”
No one believed them.....No One.....not even the wonderful trusting wives.

Lo and behold, the next day someone spotted underneath the same dock a half-eaten, nice size fish. Needless to say, that was ’their’ fish!
The joyous vindication was obvious....
Was it real?
Only God knows.....
......as my dear Mamma used to say.....”Even liars tell the truth...some time!”

Survey Blog

I am taking a survey on whether to continue writing my blogs or take a temporary sabbatical over the summer.

My response address for this web page is listed in Link#2.
Please let me hear from you.

Enjoy and Celebrate....The Good Life!!!

Received these thoughts below from my husband’s childhood friend, Brenda.
They are a short and concise summary of
my philosophy of ....The Good Life!!!.

Thoughts Worth Thinking About

(1) God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
(2) Dear God, I have a problem-- it's me.
(3) Growing old is inevitable, growing UP is optional.
(4) There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
(5) Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
(6) Do the math.... count Your blessings.
(7) Faith is the ability to not panic.
(8) Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
(9) If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.
(10) As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.
(11) Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
(12) The most important things in your home are the people.
(13) When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to
be still so He can untangle the knot.
(14) A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
(15) He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
(16) We do not remember days, but moments. Life Is moving too fast so
enjoy your precious moments .
(18) Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just
hearsay.
(19) It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just
remember to flush it!
(20) Enjoy....The Good Life.....DAILY!!!

Party- Heart..y!!!

Celebrated Mattie C’s 21st birthday last night at “Chad’s Place”....
Crazy zoo antics again....
He received some gifts in a “Barbie Bag”....fake money to pay for his college education and other curricular activities, miniature glitzy party shoes which we insisted that he put his size 11 foot in...and walk!
Joshua had to put them on as well!!!
Lynn and I prepared...too much food, as usual.
Pops cooked and cooked on the grill.....strawberry pie, birthday cake, party poppers etc. Sure am glad it was NOT at my house!
Being 21, 3rd year of college, having gorgeous Ashley at his side and all his crazy family around him......Mattie C still had his somber moments....
For you see....Mattie C is a ’deep’ thinker!
Yes, he enjoys a good time of family fun....but his internal focus is that of an.....intellectual muse.
Muse in this sense means...to think deeply and at length.....
How Matthew got into this family is one of those...acts of God that makes insurance void!
Actually “Matthew” means...Gift of God......so there is my answer!
Our family certainly needs and enjoys......Mattie C.
We are glad he was ’borned’ to us!!!
See pictures...Link #1....Matt’s 21st album....
See Matt.....Celebrate Life....the “Good Life” way!

Free....Generosity

Received a package in the mail yesterday and was thrilled when I opened it.
It was from Betty and Ray Fortner, my cousin, with whom we made the Kissimmee River boat trip recently.
Both Ray and Betty are very creative. Ray is an author with many unique ‘words and phrases’ at his command. He is also very eloquent with his command of words....even while telling a joke....:)
Betty, I’m learning, is a lady who can ‘do’ almost anything!
A recent purchase of a computerized program for a very ‘cutting edge’ sewing machine opened a world of ideas in Betty.
The gift she made for me....and other nautical ones for Annie P. are awesome. (See link #1....)
Many people are talented, creative and have unique abilities galore.
Not everyone ‘gives it away’....
It has been my experience that ’the more we .....give our creativeness away....the more we ’get’....
Thanks, Betty.....for so generously sharing your talents and gifts with others.
May God, GENEROUSLY, repay you, my dear!

Optimist or Pessimist...

An article in the today’s newspaper was food for thought about a basic choice of life. The decision being....am I going to be an eternal optimist.....or a reality....pessimist?
Often we don’t ‘consciously’ set out to be either/or by decision or choice.
Many factors shape our personality, character, genetics and environment.
Out of a combination of these....we form the mentality of being optimistic about life.....or having a pessimistic point of view.
The terrorist activities in these years of the millennium bring out many fears. Some are justified....others become paranoia.
“Hope for the best and expect the worst” is a philosophy adapted by many.
It is really a depressing philosophy and self-defeating for achieving any kind of consistent happiness in life.
Should we really expect that every person we meet or every situation we face will be the very worst they or it can be?
It would be nearly impossible to have one happy or peaceful moment in one’s life with this outlook.
According to some people, even when things are good, we should fret and complain about them possibly ....turning bad!

On the other hand....to sail thru life with the optimist point of view that life will successfully run itself for my benefit....without my active participation of good sense, wise choices, hard work, honest endeavors and compassion and caring for my fellow man......is optimist foolhardiness!!!

Recently, I commented about the beautiful weather to three different people one morning. All three of the people, instead of agreeing with me and saying how blessed we were to live in such a beautiful place.....expressed their concern and worry about future weather and how bad it might be!
I could not have ‘wished’ for a better example of....not experiencing happiness...even while happiness was taking place!!!

I choose, by faith..... to be a ....eternal optimist...in order to thoroughly enjoy.....The Good Life!!!
Hallelujah!

That'z So!

Had a good time....relaxing and hot...over the week-end at our boat dock.
Many nautical friends were there and we ate, reminisced, and just relaxed in general. Quite a different scene....usually everyone is either working or cleaning....boats.
This Memorial Day week-end the waterways were dominated by....air-boats! Along one canal area, Charlie counted 60...
Probably 200 or more everywhere....the noise was unbearable at times....
Fish were caught though....Bro. Dockie hooked a 18 or so lb. catfish on Thursday. He fought the fish for over an hour...Then we had to listen to his bragging all week-end.
Another boater came by who had a 9 1/2 lb. bass...See picture on KRP Album....What a beauty!
We also celebrated birthdays with surprise pictures from the past...
All in all it was good-clean-fun and there were many ‘good sports’ happenings.....
Life is a continuous journey.....Enjoying the trip takes courage at times....then at others....you just have to laugh yourself silly....
That'z......So!

Prayer Request....

Bro. Eddie, our family missionary, called me last night requesting immediate prayer for the Hooper Family who are enroute to Africa along with his Pastor, Clyde Lanier from Winter Haven..
The Hooper's have been missionaries there for several years and with the terrorist threats NOW....danger is eminent.
Cissy, her young son, and Bro. Lanier were stranded (last night) in their flight from Orlando to Africa....They were changing in London to British Airways but all British Airways flights were cancelled going to Africa because of the terrorist threats.
Emergency prayers were sent forth....in Africa, U.S. etc....another Airline moved into the gap and according to the latest report from Bro.Eddie they are now in the air on their way back to....Africa. Talking about "A wing and a prayer'.....it is happening!
Please pray for these missionaries below....NOW....
Bro. Eddie, himself, will be going back to Nairobi in January...God willing...(see March 10 blog for info on Bro. Eddie)
Joel & Jenna Cobbs,
Ernie & Cissy Hopper,
Jerry & Debbie Stephens,
Tom & Bunty Miller
I appreciate you, dear ones, whom I contacted last night thru e-mail etc. for the 911 Prayer for Cissy and Bro. Lanier....
May God Bless each and every one of you....

[5/22/2003 11:11:20 AM | Faith Fernandez]
Dear Readers;
I received the below e-mail from our family missionary...Bro. Eddie, and it was too good to just send to
random people. Hence, I post it here.
I hope you like to DANCE....I do!
Enjoy!

G U I D A N C E

When I meditated on the word ?GUIDANCE? I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky, and
counterproductive.
When one person realizes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow
with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or
by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one
body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and
attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word GUIDANCE. When I saw the "G," I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i." "God, "u" and "i" dance."!
God, you, and I dance.
This statement is what guidance means to me.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance
about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you and
your family on this day and everyday. May you live in Him as He lives abundantly in
you.
Dance together with God, trusting Him to lead and to guide you through each
season of your life.
Prayer is one of the best gifts we can ever give, or that we can receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards; so let?s continue to pray for one another.

I Hope You Enjoy Dancing !!!!!!!!!!!!

Here We Go Again!

I went to the zoo yesterday!
In my own home......
Our Wednesday night ritual at Cody’s was ’unexpectedly’ moved to our house....Marine reserve, Pipato, was in town for training along with another Marine buddy, Brandon. They planned to spend the night with us so all of the cousin’s etc. wanted to eat together at our house.
Joshua wanted to ride on Uncle Chad’s bike, the Marines wanted to swim in the pool after a hot game of basketball down the street and I had the job of
feeding a small army....
The challenge of feeding the hungry ...brought out ’instant creativity’...I’ve had some experience there!
All in all everyone had fun.....except perhaps Pops.
He had a hard time finding a quiet place to watch his ’ritual’ news.
Joshua had a ball....
See his ‘biking experience’ on Link #1
The Good Life is a ‘daily celebration’.....planned and spontaneous!

Flawless...

Yesterday as I was driving in traffic, I saw a business vehicle with the sign on the side saying...”Flawless Electrical Co.”...
Thinking that the word, flawless, sounds archaic.....I began to ponder the word and its meaning to me personally.
Perfection I understand.....flawless takes a big leap toward perfection yet has a definition of its own...
The word ...flaw...means...a defect; fault, blemish, error, crack, or scratch that spoils something.
Flawless, of course, would be the opposite.
Looking at an object and declaring it...flawless...would also suffice to say....it is ...perfect....isn’t it?
Not necessarily in my opinion.
Perfect seems to me to describe ...completely correct or accurate; exact; precise; most excellent....
There is no such thing as....perfectless!
Flawless means to me that there were once.....flaws!
The process from flaws to flawless.....is WORK.
Flawless will never be perfection!
For there once was flaws, errors, defects etc. which was its original state.
Great energy had to be expounded in order to move from the state of flaws to flawless....Therefore being found flawless is much more costly to me.
......As a human being I WILL NEVER BE PERFECT no matter how hard I try....It just does not happen.
But I can become.....more flawless every time I correct...wrong thinking, wrong actions, or stupid endeavors on my part.
Getting the ‘human’ flaws out is an ongoing, maturing process.....
Perfection can be a worthy goal but it is absolutely unattainable this side of Heaven’s Doors.
Looking at other family members and friends....sometimes we see the ‘major flaws’....as do they with us.
The process whereby each person either lives with or works on correcting their own flaws can be very painful to the caring ‘onlooker’.
Yet we are powerless to remove the flaws from any life but our very own...
Why do we try?
Hope beats eternal in the human heart.
Helping someone to change his or her destructive ‘flaws’ seems a ’noble’ goal.
It is futile!
Only they can remove the ’flaws’ from their own life...
I’ve found that only “prayer” can make a difference for my loved ones or myself...
Because the eyes of the heart must open to want change for our very own selves and to recognize there are ’flaws’ or blemishes that can retard relationships or personal growth.... Only an internal remedy can initiate this process from within.
Prayer works....My life is proof or evidence of that process used by my very own parents. As I have, too, used this ‘tool of last resort’ in behalf of my family and friends....
Only God can change a heart...or life!
The word...Miracle...applies to this process.
Having many obvious flaws of my own....some I don’t want to let go of....I must have patience and compassion when I watch others struggle with their own....flawless....condition.
For you see...there by the grace of God....go I.....daily!
There was and only will be.....One Perfect Human Being!
....and I am not He!
Rest assured....I and you, too, will still have flaws as long as we reside on planet earth....Therefore, we can identify with the rest of the human race and perhaps have a measure of compassion...which is real....for our fellow man.
May God continue to bless and guide us in this ongoing process ...flaws and all.....is my prayer for you!
Have a...Flawless, Blessed.....Day!

Let’s Celebrate

May is the month that I have many family and friends.....birthdays!
My husband‘s, Charlie.....Blake, Cindy, Nancy, Sam and Matthew are a few.
Anyone who knows me......kinds laughs at me at the ‘importance’ of which I place on......birthdays!
I enjoy making a very ‘big deal’ of that certain day set aside in time....on which those I love.....was born.
That is ....”Their Day”.....no matter what!
Adults sometimes ‘cringe’ when it becomes their day around me.....but I ignore this fact.....to their dismay!
Ask Annie P. Sometimes I make hers last a whole week!
Silly isn’t it?
Because people are so important to me.....I NEVER want to take the ones who choose to stay in my life......for granted....
Anyone who can ‘put up with’ me.....deserves a medal!
Family and friends whom I love dearly.....are my heroes....
Not the stars of Hollywood, or the news media....or the whim characters of the day.....BUT the everyday, common, ordinary/extra-ordinary....people who make up my daily existence.
Therefore I have chosen....to celebrate the life of these “home-grown heroes” in a simple way that says....I love and appreciate YOU....
.....As life goes forward, people come and go as well.
Each given time of life has its own chapter of ’local characters’......
I will continue to celebrate the birth of those whom God has placed around me .......to enhance the quality of my life.
Therefore, Let’s Celebrate together!
Now is the time......Happy Birthday to ....
....Charlie, Nancy R., Blake (aka, King B), Cindy,
......Sam the Man, & dear Mattie C.....
God Bless ALL of YOU!

More Bull!!!

Returned from our trip a few days early in order to celebrate Charlie’s birthday with the family in Clearwater.
I laughed and laughed on this boat trip...
Our cousin, Ray Fortner and wife Betty, live in Pensacola, Florida.
Haven’t been around this cousin in years but knew that he had adventure in mind when he suggested the boat trip from Bro. Dockie’s book.
First of all the weather was really....HOT.
Getting a late start on Monday made being on the water at high noon - severe. Kenneth and Patsy joined us in their ‘nother new boat’.
While going down river, Kenneth hit something hard in the center of the channel....we believe a big gator moving slow. Anyway, enough of an impact to bend the blade of a brand new boats prop.
.....No problem...a crowbar comes out of the bilge....and we are on our way again....
Dockie explains the history of the areas we are going thru to Ray and Betty.
Yes, we do go the same run on which I run into the trees with the Milagro.
Who could help it....just look at the pictures on Link #1....Boat Trip Album and you can see how very easy it is to gather a few tree limbs on a big boat run.....The water was even lower this trip so we had to watch carefully for sand bars around every bend. Charlie did hit one going 900 miles an hour it seemed....I was sitting on a cooler taking pictures of the boats behind....the first thing I knew I was flat of my back with the cooler spilling ice and cold water all over me and the boat. We came to a complete stand still - immediately. No damage to boat, me....or camera. I made sure my camera was protected....no matter what.
Annie P. excelled again in her fish frying for the night. Specks were delicious...
Gator Bull was also served....EVERY DAY!
Laughter was....contagious.....poor Dockie got more than his share...he was stung by an ‘invisible varmint’ and had such a swollen upper lip that NO ONE could look at him without bursting out....LAUGHING!
We all tried, very seriously, to offer our condolences....just ask Ray.
Needless to say, the visit and trip was a huge success because a good time was had by all.....even ‘poor Dockie’.
Yes....It Is A Good Life!
And.....More To Come.......

Crusin’ Down The River

Preparing and taking another boat trip will occupy my time for the next week I’m sure.....
My brother, Dockie, has written a first novel entitled...
“Land Of Milk and Honey” by James R.(Dockie)Baxter...
It is a fictional story based on actual times, places, and many people who lived in the State of Florida from 1884 thru 1997.

The story starts in 1997 when a middle 40’s couple, living in Jacksonville, decide to chuck it all and retire on a boat. They go to Kissimmee and down the chain of lakes to Basinger . The story then reverts back to 1884 with a family in the Okefenokee swamp in Georgia ‘chucking their life’ there for the offer of homesteading in Florida for free land. They build a raft and with their three children start a water adventure which is life changing....
.
This week we are doing this same trip by boat which Dockie wrote about in his book. In fact, we have been traveling these same waterways over and over...as you have been reading on my previous pages.
The first half of “The Calhoun’s” raft journey begins on the Suwannee River. They then go inland to Kissimmee for the last half of their journey by raft on the chain of lakes, which we have been moving big boats on for weeks now. There are smaller creeks and tributaries that can only be accessed by small boats, or in our case our dingy, or airboats.
Our cousins, Ray and Betty Fortner, from Pensacola had expressed a desire to do this run.....hence this weeks trip was planned.
Old Florida waterways and history of early settlements along these rivers and lake beds.... Is a specialty of Dockie and Ann’s research and living this book. A modern day Huckleberry Finn is this brother of mine.
Boating with him is....NEVER BORING!
Ask Charlie, Kurt, Sam, Kenneth, Walker, Buddy and countless others who get caught up in his nautical antics.
Dockie is one who always provides.....unforgettable experiences!
Any of you family and friends that are interested in his book can contact him at...JDOCKIE@aol.com . Price $12.95
He is self-published with a limited amount printed at any given time.
You see, he does not have time for anything so trivial as....’notoriety’!

I will write, again, IF I’M ALIVE, after returning from this ‘by-the-book’ adventure.......I can hear Dockie exclaiming....”All aboard, that’s going aboard....we’re out of here!”
See ya, mates....

What Do You Do???

Yesterday I was busy running around and around...
My husband, Charlie, has been at our boat this week....1 1/2 hrs. away doing of all things......working to put the fly bridge canvas back into shape.
As I have written before...I did temporary stitching on the zippers. This week he has driven into Winter Haven....short distance away....to work with a Marine Canvas shop in order to do the job right!
Why all this emphasis on canvas?
Price custom made canvas with stainless steel frame, 3 bimini tops for a 33 ft. boat and see what kind of figures you come up with.
Therefore.....a stitch in time.....saves nine....stitches and dollars!

Having a block of time I can call my own....has kept me busy, busy, busy....
On Tuesday having lunch with our son Chad, put me up to date on his business adventures plus gave my heart a blessing.
Yesterday Lynn, Joshua and I did a great deal of running. Then we stopped for a quick lunch with Joshua being the delight....and fright....that he is as a two year old. He loved having two adults chase him at slow speed compared to his ’racing package’ motor run!
Arising early today, our son Chuck calls shortly before 7:00 am and he is already finishing a golf course job after a 4:00 am. start.
Asking, “What are you doing today?” threw me for a loop!
I could hardly tell you what I did yesterday....had to think hard to write the above.....yes, he, too.....will be in town today and I will have special time with he and Pipato, his helper, as well.
Mother’s Day Gifts of Joy have been mine all week with my three children blessing me with their presence and love...They each are so busy with their own lives that it can be costly to take ....time off.
Who could ask for anything more.....
As I read one of my morning devotions, these words hit me right between the eyes!
WHAT YOU ARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU DO!!!
How true....
I am a ‘proud’ mother....and I am proud to be the mother of my three children no matter what their age is now.....nor mine!
You ask me what I do for a living?
I am filled with such a diversity of life that I could not compact the answer in a few words....
Except to say....simply......What I DO for a living is...Enjoy the Good Life and ALL the blessings God brings to me through my dear, dear family and friends.....
I am.....a woman who loves the Lord, her family, her friends, her country and good clean fun living!
What do I do for a living?
L I V E.....in the above realm.....
Welcome to my world......

P.S. Sounds like I don’t ‘work’ doesn’t it?
.......Let me tell you a secret......’WORK’ is the heritage of my family...”WORK’ is our middle name, “WORK’ was made ‘fun’ by my Mother, her mother and probably her mother as well....
It is ‘work’ even to .....have FUN!
Try going to the beach, or camping or boating with children or adults.
....In order to really have a good time....somebody has to work and set the stage for a ‘successful happening”!
There is no ‘magic wand’ .
EVERY GOOD MOTHER....IS A WORKING WOMAN!
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you working Mother’s!
I salute YOU+++

Before....and....After

I have a ritual...upon arising every morning I greet my husband over a cup of coffee...and anyone else who happens to be in our home.
Then I, immediately, read my devotions.....about 4 of them....some light and positive, some with great depth and thought provoking. Often I will look up the Bible reference and meditate on its application to my life and the life of my family. Sometimes Charlie and I will comment on what we found important in that morning’s devotion. I then read the local newspaper, chatting off and on with Charlie. Sometimes I stop to take a phone call or place one....usually to our children.
This is the usual chain of events.....even when we go to the boat but without the newspaper part. I find that I MUST start my day with the right thoughts.
This chain of events happen at 5 or 6 a.m. or at other times it can be 7:00 am. Always being an early riser....7 a.m. is late for me.
Then off to the computer...checking e-mail and writing a ‘thought for the day’. When there are early morning appointments or running around in traffic-laden Tampa Bay....I just get up earlier.
You may say....”How boring!....Who really cares?”
The rest of the story is this......
......This ‘ritual’ didn’t begin just yesterday. It has been my discipline for years.....little Carla at 5 or 6 years of age (she is now 17)would often get up and come out with her little “Precious Moments” Bible and say so sweetly....”Can I please study with you?”
We would then read something from her little Bible and talk about it in her language.....Today Carla has much this same ritual. She does her devotion before going to school and no one tells her she must. When Charlie and I took her to Cocoa Beach for our “Special Week-end”.....she lay in bed doing her devotion before taking her “forever shower”....
What a blessing.....
Oh, yes, I am blessed to see the forward process in this simple routine of morning devotions being NECESSARY......to the continuance of....
A Good Life!

It’s About Time!

There are some people in life that you just can’t help.....liking!
They are just so....cute....lively....personable and.....FUN.
It is just delightful to be around them.
I know several of these individuals and I have one in mind that fits this description.....His good humor and MISCHIEVOUS Smile are so infectious that you CANNOT help liking him.....and wanting to be liked by him!
Do you know someone like that?
Bet you do!
.......Enjoy them....they have a job in life called....being the “Good Cheer” person! Every home and family and office needs one or two or three.
Tell them you appreciate their place in your life.
They are good at what they do....which is....making other people...HAPPY!
Sometimes it is work....when they run into a....determined sourpuss!
Yet their ‘attitude’ is infectious!
I salute you......Cheerleaders of life!
You help make...It A Good Life!!!
Bless you always.

New - Old

Yesterday I went to Bradenton to see my niece, Cindy.
Cindy recently bought a new house....actually a 1925 Florida original style house. It has been restored and walking into it was walking back in time.
It is immaculate. The feeling of the past plus the convenience of the present makes this a truly delightful and inviting.....home.
Also, it is only about 2 or 3 blocks from the river and many of the homes are being restored in this area.
It is wonderful to see the new and old come together in its natural environment.
A new community is being developed on the Hillsborough Bay that builds imitations or replicas of these old Florida/Key West look homes.
Go to Mirabay.com and you will see millions of dollars being spent to provide the ambiance of this 1925 Florida Home.
Clink on link #1 and see the original....
Cindy sure knows a good thing....after all she is an original, first-class, old-fashioned.......Florida girl!
Go.....Cindy!

Family....Pests

Last night our family met at Cody’s for our usual Wed. night Fajitas..
2 for 1 is a big draw when you have a ....big family.
We’ve been doing this periodically, for some time now.
Because several of us live in the Bay area, meeting once a week or so and catching up on the ’whatz happening’ gives us a chance to regroup...make plans...see any relatives who happen to be in town.....and feed a lot of people, good food at a reasonable cost.
Last nights event was just that...Matt & Jacob changed plans at last minute and went to Jacksonville...they called and said that ten of them were out in a sailboat...having fun!
Anyway, there were two....very tired....family members there.....Lynn and I.
Guess who got ’picked on’?
Not having the energy to meet the challenge...they went on and on....Especially Britt and Chad who have a very similar sense of humor.
Teasing me about ’boycotting’ anti-American dissenters....they carried it to such extremes in teasing that it was....ludicrous.
Drama was evident....mimicking me catching a fish and saying to the poor critter...”I have to throw you back....you opened your mouth at the wrong time....you are boycotted.....”....”Now guess I’ll just have to become a vegetarian.”...On and on it went....transferring from me to Lynn as the object of ridicule....We both became...aggravated.....needless to say, that fed their ‘fun’ even more.
Usually I am as bad as they are....when they are the object.....
.....but finally I got my ‘breakthrough’......I had to laugh at their downright ridiculous.....stupid.....FUN!
Knowing that they had no malicious intent......succumbing to the prevailing ‘mood’ of the majority was a ....MUST...finally!
Looking at Lynn several times during their ‘performance’....seeing a smile playing lightly around her mouth as she...’defended herself’....I knew that we had....”been had”!
Being a ‘good sport’ is not always easy on the receiving end of family fun.....ATTITUDE is everything in this crazy family!
Just wait....pay back is coming....SOON!

Dear Readers;
Please go to Link #2 for public e-mail address for comments and feedback.
I would love to hear from you from time to time.
Some of you have my personal e-mail address
which I prefer for you to use...
Enjoy Life!!!

Good...or Bad....Attitude

Listening to a mother tell her teen-age son.....”You have a BAD attitude!” reminds me a little bit about our.......boating!
After having been to the boat over the week-end and spending the majority of the time...6 or 7 hours....hand sewing zippers and vinyl back into the canvas......made me have a....bad attitude about boating!
I don’t want to move the big boat ...one inch....for ‘fear’ something will break or need to be repaired after a normal...wild adventure.....run!
Yet boats....break....on....their....own!
Sitting or moving doesn’t make a great deal of difference.
Ask Dockie who had water flowing under his bathroom sink after a week of non-use. For no apparent reason at all....things happen on a boat.
Knowing those facts of life still causes me to get into a ’funk’....when it is more work than fun!
Attitude adjustment is a constant MUST in boating.
As often happens....someone comes along and tells a tale that is much worse than your recent experience and you feel a little better....temporarily.
On Sunday some friends dropped by...Sally & Sam and Bonnie and Buddy.
They came over to our KRP Dock and it was a fun surprise to catch up on their news and hear their tales of success and failure.
Pat and Walker also dropped by after having moved their recently sold boat while fighting high winds and a steering cable breaking in the process.
Abnormal becomes....normal.
Attitude is... chosen.

In fact, Charles Swindoll says it like this......
“ATTITUDE........the longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or day or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.
It will make or break a company...a church...a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will have for that day.
We cannot change our past....we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that
.....is our attitude...
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our...Attitudes.”

Enough said....my attitude WILL change.
I have that choice...so help me, God!

Running.....Out of....Time

Started several times to write this page.....got interrupted every time.
Pipo came through with cousin/nephew, Jacob from Puerto Rico.
Along came Matthew and Ashley on test break from college.
Phone ringing constantly and I find that I need something from Publix...on the way cell phone rings....Charlie says Cpt. Kurt of Double Eagle is in town and to meet them at the Crab Shack for lunch. Call Matt to see if they are all still hanging loose at my house....informed that the college/Marine group went over to daughter, Lynn’s, for her ’good snacks’.
Kurt has to go to Bradenton for a boat part so he and Charlie left me at the Crab Shack and start south.
Still haven’t gotten to Publix yet!
What is happening here?
People passing through our day.....on a spontaneous basis is such a delight to me....Publix can wait....phones can ring....
People are my thing!
For you see......we can NEVER come back to this moment!
It is in such times as this that I determine to use every moment for the absolute joy of......TODAY!

Miniature....Encyclopedias

God has taught me many things....through children!
Laughter doesn’t have to be taught to children.
Play doesn’t have to be....justified.
Rest...is a natural part of their every day lifestyle.
I realize more and more that we have something to learn from these
.....little encyclopedias of life!
They can teach us about...
wonder....gratitude.... uninhibited ness...spontaneity.... unconditional trust...flexibility....imagination.....creativity.....laughter and instant love!
They teach us to see things as if it were for the first time...when we view life through their eyes.
They teach us to share.....as if there were no end.
They can teach us how to...smell...taste and touch...with zesto!
They also teach us why God calls us to be......“like little children”....
Joshua...our family ‘little one’....had a bunch of adult ‘children’ at his Easter Egg hunt on Sunday......See pictures...Link #1...Easter.

Jesus said...Luke 18:17...”I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God LIKE A LITTLE CHILD...will never enter it!”

Thatz Funny!!!

Anyone that knows me....knows that I can be...plain, down-right silly at times....I am known for ‘making a fool’ of myself with children and also those that are young at heart.
One day I asked a missionary friend what she thought the five most important ingredients were to being a quality human being.
After a long, thoughtful pause, she said,
“Humor, love, responsibility, courage, and humor.”
I tried to tell her that she had already said humor...
but she quickly informed me that she meant exactly what she had said.
Her explanations were this....’Humor has the wonderful ability to break life up into little pieces and make it livable. Laughter gives richness, texture, and color to an otherwise ordinary day. It is a gift, a choice, a discipline, and also.....an art.”
Smiling from ear to ear she exclaimed...”I enjoy laughing. I believe that laughter is a sacred sound to our God. I also believe that it has an incredible capacity to heal our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.”

What a wonderful relief to know that she had so aptly described my own personal philosophy of life. I, too, feel the same.
She made me feel......normal!
Then I read the Biblical application of this and said....“Hallelujah!”

Job 8:21....’He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your
lips with shouts of JOY.’

Free Fruit

Joy is not a feeling; It is a CHOICE.
It is not based upon circumstances;
it is based upon attitude.
It is free......but it is not cheap!
It requires commitment, courage, and endurance.
Joy is something which defies circumstances and occurs in
spite of difficult situations.
Where happiness is a feeling....joy is an attitude.
A position.
A place.
Joy to me is that deep settled confidence that God
is in control of EVERY area of my life.
What a relief....to be reminded of this...daily!
Joy is not cheap....but it is worth the price.

St. Paul said in Galatians 5:22&23.....”But the fruit of the Spirit is....
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

So Be It!

There is a direct relationship between joy and strength,
When I loose my joy....I am at my weakest....
But I have discovered a...different...kind of Joy that I never knew existed.
It is a joy that can coexist with.....pain, uncertainty, confusion, doubt, problems...or the act of just plain being human.
Good health is vital to Joy...mental, emotional, physical and spiritual are a package deal. I did not say...perfect health...
but good health that we can do something about....
There is a vital importance of...laughter for our lives.
It releases endorphins, which are a natural painkiller produced by our bodies...
It is medically recognized that negative attitudes such as worry can produce negative physical effects, such as ulcers.
....Also, the opposite can be true as well.
Positive emotions, such as laughter and joy, produce positive chemical reactions in the body.
The Bible says this clearly....
...“A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones...” Proverbs 17:22

Don’t Worry + Be Happy!

Arising this morning...feeling spring in the air....has filled me with exhilaration.
I LOVE this time of year....new life in the air...ask the birds the trees, the grass....the weeds....
Spring has....sprung!
Then I read my mornings devotion from a book called...
“Keep On Dancing”....Daily readings to...Celebrate Life.
I must write....word for word....what today’s reading said.....

...”All the discipline in the world cannot make the sun rise any earlier,
or a flower more fragrant,
or a smile more spontaneous.
Running five miles a day will add as much as a hundred miles of capillaries to your system, makes you feel more alive,
but it won’t necessarily teach you.....HOW TO LAUGH!
You don’t have to have a plan to.....CLAP YOUR HANDS.
As someone once said, “If you have to move even ten inches from where you are now IN ORDER TO BE HAPPY,
then you will never be truly happy.”
Can you imagine the sadness of seeing someone squinting at the horizon desperately, while what he is looking for....is right at his feet?
Look for the essence of life.......in your own backyard!

Abraham Lincoln said....”Most folks are as happy as they make up their mind to be...”
My mind is made up.....I WILL be happy....it is my choice of life.
Yes, I intend to....Keep on Dancing....The music is in my heart!
Now I dare you.....as you read this....
Clap Your Hands three times and say....”Thank God for a wonderful full and Happy Life!”
Don’t Worry + Be Happy!


P.S. This is not to minimize pain, disappointment, etc....these are certain norms of life....in every life. Despite adverse situations, problems and circumstances.....Happiness and Joy of life is still a choice...day by day.
An attitude of the heart, mixed with faith....says despite all to the contrary...
God is still in control of my life....even when it looks like everything is...
Out of Control....
There is a song that says......”I’ve got a feeling...that EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALL RIGHT....BE ALL RIGHT...BE ALL RIGHT!”
With that thought, feeling, fact in mind and heart....
we can....Keep On Dancin’
...so saith the birds outside my window....

Family Celebration!

Easter was a fun time for our family...All of us...3 cars full.... traveled to our son Chuck’s church in Brooksville.
You see....our Marine...Carlos Manuel III...”Pipo” was home on leave from the Marines. Everybody was HAPPY!
Chuck gave a wonderful...”He Is Risen” message and the Cantata illustrated the Easter truth.... wonderfully.
Food galore....riding big 4 wheelers, scooters, videos.....egg hunt for almost 2, Joshua....adults having more fun than the two year old who had to ‘put up’ with everyone finding his eggs for him....
Good clean fun and celebration of life and its continuity at a time that is vital to our faith and family.
Isn’t this.....The Good Life?
Jesus said....John 10:10....”I come that you might have life....and
HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY!”
That’s the Gods truth....
A picture tells a thousand words....
Click Link #1....see Easter pictures....talk!

Good Friday...

Today is a special day in the life of a.....Christian.
It is the symbol of the day Jesus was crucified......took our ‘wrongs’ and made them His....gave us the freedom to live life to the fullest....
Because He overcame death....on Easter Sunday morn....the tomb of His burial was....empty.
HE HAS RISEN!!!
He has the victory.....and has given it to us, His children who have accepted this fact as our spiritual heritage.
We will live....forever.....life does not end with physical death on this earth.
This is the message of....Easter!
Life.....is....eternal.
We choose where to spend it!
That decision is made here and now on planet earth....it can NOT be made after physical death...
......Jesus said in John 10:10....”I come that you might have life and.....
HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY!”

Miracles, miracles, miracles......Life over death.....Who could ask for more?
That’s.....the....Good....Life!

Are You Sure?

When I think of......miracles.....Joy leaps in my heart!
They are a delight to behold, to experience, to pray into others lives and to receive.....out of the blue!
Miracles happen every day.

The brilliant genius Albert Einstein has this view on miracles:
“There are only two ways to live your life:
One is as though nothing is a miracle;
the other is as though EVERYTHING is a miracle.”

The dictionary defines a miracle as....
“an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.”

Do you know that you can make miracles happen in your life and the life of others?
The most familiar way to make a miracle happen is to.....requisition or harness the tremendous, often underestimated....power of prayer.... particularly if you are one who is blessed with.....faith.
Prayers are answered.
You do not need to feel you are being pushy or presumptuous when you pray for something.
After all, it was Jesus Himself who urged his followers over and over....to lobby God for their needs.
“Ask and you shall receive,” Jesus said. “Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Jesus always practiced what He preached and did not hesitate to perform His wonderful miracles on those who ASKED Him for a miracle.

The medical field is paying more attention to the fact that at times seemingly incurable diseases disappear without standard medical treatment or other human means. It is often described on medical charts as.. ”spontaneous remission”....Yet, they still can’t explain....how it happens, or why it happens to one patient and not another.
There is medical truth that our attitudes and emotions are linked in critical ways to our bodies, specifically our brain, and nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Numerous brain chemicals - - -released in response to everything from sadness to euphoria - have been proven to affect the immune system. Exactly why the emotions affect the body is not fully understood. But there is evidence that certain psychological and spiritual states CAN change the course of disease.....
An on-site doctor and president of the Lourdes Medical Bureau, Dr. Roger Pilon has this to say about miraculous healings at the famous Lourdes Shrine in the French Pyrenees....”In every disease there is a psychological part. Any doctor will tell you that someone who wants to be cured is a better patient and has a better chance of recovery than one who give up.”

Why do some people have miracles ....and others don’t?
Only God knows the answer on an individual basis but based on my experience with Him.....
....Faith is the answer.....
Faith’s definition based on Hebrews 11:l says.....
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and CERTAIN of what we do not see...”
or....”substance of things hoped for.....yet evidence of things not seen...”
That’s faith....
Faith produces miracles for ourselves and others.....when we petition God...believing in our hearts ....we are Blessed by.....Miracles.

Yes, my rings on a Dive Platform after flying across a portion of open water....is definitely.....a......Miracle.
Thank God!

Flying High

An incident happened during our nautical trip, which caused me to be very grateful indeed....
Before moving the big boat, Milagro, we were busy cleaning everything in sight. I was working with bleach trying to get the scum off of our white water hose .
Taking off my two rings...wide heavy wedding band with stones and another ring from my children, I placed them on my GPS folder on top of a dock box.
Aaron was in the bilge of his boat nearby and the others were on the dock chatting away. Suddenly I yelled....‘my GPS folder is blowing in the water’
and moving quickly I caught it before it got wet.
Forgetting about my rings I was happy about my ‘catch’.
Then it dawned on me....my rings were on top of the paper!
Everyone began to search the dock saying “‘no way’....spaces between the boards of dock, water nearby......forget it!”
Suddenly Ann exclaims....”Look, on the back of Aaron’s dive platform!”
There lay my two rings....after having flown over a small portion of open water between dock and platform.....they landed safely in full view.
Milagro, Milagro, Milagro......the Spanish word for.....Miracle.

Where Are We?

Talking about a trip...by water....this was it.
Charlie and I spent about 1 1/2 wks. on the Florida waterways, rivers, lakes, creeks, intra-coastal etc.... all size boats, all weather conditions.....and had a wonderful time.
This was my brother, Aaron’s, trial-run boat trip in the 28 ft. “Pretty-Ugly”.
The trip began for him and crew in Daytona with destination being to Lake Kissimmee and back. The return trip will have give him around 650 miles of water travel.
Traveling with Ruth Ann and his sidekick, Billy....Aaron was in his element....being a long time Florida salty sea dog...Aaron lives and breathes the water life!
We traveled a great deal of that trip with him, Ruth Ann, and Bill...first with our small boat, Go Gator, Kenneth’s ,Why Knot? and Dockie’s ,Nubbin, meeting him at Harbor town Marina in Ft. Pierce.
High winds interfered with fast travel but even that was....doable!
All boats proceeded from Stuart back thru the St. Lucie canal and across Lake Okeechobee to Taylor Creek where Sam and Sally awaited us in their 42-ft. Gemini.
Taking a day to recoup and re-situate travel vehicles, we traveled up the Kissimmee River, again, thru locks and more locks, this time moving our big boat, Milagro. High winds, strong river currents and an occasional tree slowed us down considerably.
Unfortunately, I was captaining the Milagro around a strong current curve and for some reason (strong current-slow reaction)I could not straighten the wheel quickly enough and hit the bank trees....head on. Hearing Aaron on the radio saying to Bro. Dockie our ’scout’ ....“Milagro’s in the trees”...
MADE ME MAD!!! He didn’t have to tell on me for the entire world to hear!
Charlie backs her out...I sweep broken tree limbs from swim platform, back deck, side decks.... everywhere!
No holes in canvas or damage....except my pride! Had to happen to a ....woman....shucks...
Spending the night at Kicco....Ann fried fresh ‘specks’ which Sam (and Sally too) had caught and given us for the trip. They were delicious to say the least....we had a feast in a nature setting that is beyond description.
A scene....and experience...which money can not buy!
.....Our worst was yet to come!
Hitting Lake Kissimmee......the winds were....unforgiving!
Slow time.....fighting the wheel....and canvas and vinyl being ripped from their zippers were a wind nightmare. Even traveling west of Brahma Island gave little relief from the high winds.
We limped into Kissimmee River Park and were glad to be there.
With a sigh of relief we set up our ’new home’ for the Milagro and the Eagle’s Nest and then went by car to Pt. Canaveral for a Nautical Flea Market. A boat....always needs....something!
Later in the afternoon, Chris and his airboat buddies paid us a visit and initiated us to the fact that we were......in their territory....now!
Airboats...day and night....can be heard in the nearby canal.
Yes, we were now in airboat country....having left....pontoon fishing boats and bass boats from Taylor Creek and Lake Okeechobee....we were in a new ‘neck of the woods’ for sure.
Adventure living.....is just that with zany nautical family and friends.
A ’simple mistake’ is never forgotten.....retold over and over again....until new material is provided!
I know....I do it too!!!

Charlie and I decided to travel back with the “Pretty-Ugly” to Okeechobee in order to get our car and the Go Gator.
Spending the day on the water with Aaron, Ruth Ann and Billy was truly a delight this time because the water and weather was....perfect.
We had earned the right....to enjoy it!
.....A little excitement in Lock D....Billy saw a dog above the locks on land and wanted to talk.....dog talk.... he braced his front paws on the concrete side...under the top bow rail....and of course, the boat moved leaving a wide space between the concrete.....and the boat. Billy fell...belly first into the lock water below.....thru about 20 feet of open space....
Everybody left their positions....except me.....I KNEW dogs can swim and dog paddle! Aaron called him to the back of the boat and put down the swim ladder and do you know that dog forget that he didn’t know how to climb a ladder? Needless to say, Billy was a bit subdued for the rest of the trip that day.
Having traveled 12 hours for the day....90 miles at around 7.5 mph....we were happy to return to Taylor Creek docks.
They looked so....empty!
Double Eagle....gone
Eagle’s Nest....gone
Milagro....gone
Only Pretty-Ugly and Go Gator spent the last nights at our Tiki Hut Residence. Next morning, early we leave by car for the West Coast and Aaron and Ruth Ann and Billy....for the East Coast.
Having run out of clean clothes and exotic foods....we had to return home in order to relax, see land family, buy new equipment and supplies for the boats and get ready for our next trip around the 1st of May.
Yes....It Is A Good Life.....you should see my bruises!
Oh, well, that is another story!

See pictures...Link # 1...Boat Move....Aaron's Trip Album

Crusin’ Down The River.....

Here we go...again!
It is Friday and we are off to Okeechobee...down south again.
We plan to congregate together as a group of boats at Taylor Creek and then go across the big lake to the Myakka Locks at the entrance to the St. Lucie Canal....
Going to the Intercostal Waterways at Stuart is approximately 58 water miles from Okeechobee....we then plan to proceed up to Ft. Pierce Municipal Marina for a night or so to await the arrival of Aaron’s....Big Boat from Daytona Beach.
This is the plan.....for Part A

Returning with Aaron to Taylor Creek for one night and then again doing the ....up the Kissimmee River trip again.......is Part B

I’ll write after my week on the waterways and tell you how close we came to this......Plan!

Understanding that I will be traveling with my two brothers....who are notorious for adventure....preferably nautical....
the sky is the limit on ......spontaneity!

Taking a luxurious cruise down or up the river has never happened with these two ’mavericks’ .....
Sea ya......in a week!

Oversize Load

Just returned from a run on traffic laden Hwy.19...St. Pete/Clearwater area.
Being in a hurry.....I would get behind a huge vehicle with a huge sign that said....OVERSIZE LOAD.
Hurry stopped. The vehicle ahead set the pace for me.
First off.....my temperature rose!
Frustration and aggravation struggled for pre-eminence!
Reason won......
As I slowly....simmered down.....the thought prevailed that there were several people among my family and friends who were carrying....
OVERSIZE LOADS....
I could name them one by one...they are the ’givers’.....the ones who are always there when you need them, always going the second mile, always putting aside their own needs....and time......for others.
Yet they are....human!
Slowly but surely such a pace......takes a toll.
An Oversize Load.....can break any man or woman.
Non the less.....givers....will give....to their last breath!
At times it takes a definite.....stop the world attitude.....in order to put life back into the right perspective, even for health reasons..
I know.
God knew what he was doing when he created one day out of seven as a ...
day of rest!
The old saying....”Stop and smell the roses” makes sense...
I passed a beautiful yard of blooming azaleas yesterday and almost missed it....saw it out of the corner of my eye....and did a double take....
I was running so fast that I had passed beauty and not even acknowledged it......What a shock it was to my soul...
I turned around..... stopped and gave a feast to my eyes...
Drinking the nectar of life‘s beauty.....restores the soul.
Life becomes.....Good.....Wonderful.... Exhilarating....
NOW is the time....for living!